In Memory of Joan Gillespie 1937-13th July 2012

Today I learnt that a dear friend had passed away. Nothing is as final death. Not illness, not sickness, NOTHING.

I've known Joan since 2002, May actually. I was working at the Austin Hospital at the time.

We seemed to hit it off straight away, age made no difference, nor the fact that she was wheelchair bound and using a respirator to survive. See Joan was a polio sufferer, yet suffer she did not.

She helped everyone, she had a smile for everyone. She was a beautiful person.

She always put everyone else's needs above her own. In fact when I saw her on Thursday, whilst she was an in-patient, she was more concerned with getting out and about again, than worrying about her health. She was worried people were missing her already (She'd been in hospital one week)

She would do the shopping for many patients, buying Tattslotto tickets and generally just being useful for those that couldn't get out. Being wheelchair bound made no difference to her.

Her lovely husband John, made much of this possible, John was Joan's right hand man, literally.

Joan (and John) would regularly present a Sunday session on Inner FM, Melbourne 96.5FM Much of the music was requested by Joan and Johns' friends.

Some of Joans' Milestones

1937 - Contracted polio and lived in an Iron Lung for the next 30 years

1967 - (approx) released from the confines of the Iron Lung

1980 - (approx) Met John, her partner

1990 - debut on radio

2011 - Victorian Senior of the Year Awards - Veteran Community Award

 Joan was an avid listener to 3AW Melbourne radio, as well as a prolific poem writer, which were often broadcast on 3AW radio.

I have previously written about Joan (and Charlie) here My Hero

Joan loved the work she did, it may have been voluntary, but to Joan it was work and very rewarding from what she always told me.

Joan, you will live in my memory forever. I looked up at you. My problems seemed like baby goldfish. Yours were the sharks of the world.

Thank-you for being my friend.

Thinking of you John at your great time of loss.

My hero

.................................................. ..

Joan and Charlie ......................... .............. .................. ....... Sally!

Some 7 or 8 years ago – I met a lady. I took one look and realised she was something special.

First and foremost, she loves animals, in fact had a companion dog that went everywhere with her. Secondly, she volunteers at the Austin Hospital a minimum of 5 days a week and is there Christmas Day also, loving, and laughing with the patients. Thirdly, she endures the after-effects of polio, which means she relies on a ventilator for every life-giving breath. Thirdly she is confined to a wheelchair.

Every day of every week, she is lifted out of bed and every day she is thinking of someone other than herself.

Her name is Joan Gillespie and she is my hero. Joan was born in 1937 and in that same year contracted Polio. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that Joan left the numerous hospitals she called home and moved in with her partner John. Soon after full-time employment was no longer an option with the worsening effects of polio taking a toll on her body. About the same time technology caught up with Joan and allowed her to continue to work full-time in a voluntary capacity, with the provision of a portable ventilator.

Joan volunteers once a month at Inner FM (96.5FM) radio in Melbourne, along with her partner John. Joan is also a member of the Polio Advisory Committee, who meet once a month and discuss and advise on issues relating to Polio.

Joan goes shopping for patients at the Austin Hospital and the adjoining nursing home, because (as Joan says) ‘They can’t get out, like I can.”

As we have both have a love of animals, Joan asked me to do her a favour. Joan knew that her dog Sally was struggling to keep up with her and she asked if I could perhaps find a dog that might replace Sally when her time was near.

I asked around my network and was offered two brothers, little Chihuahua Crosses. I couldn’t make the choice for Joan. So I organised for the dogs to be bought to the Austin Hospital for Joan to see if she liked either dog. After much debate and what ifs and maybes, Joan settled on the less dominant of the pair. This little boy had been abandoned and was a little timid, but had a lovely temperament. I organised for this little guy to come home with me on the weekend.

He spent a week at my place, where I tried so hard to stay remote from him, but alas 6 years later it appears that I failed.

He was named Charlie and helped Joan with the loss of her Sally and is trying hard to fill the space that Sally left.

Today Joan and I were laughing at his antics, and I realised that Charlie helps Joan and Joan helps Charlie. The two are a match made in heaven.

Joan is my hero. If you are ever at the Austin Hospital and you see a lady in a wheelchair with a little dog walking beside her. Say hello and remember that without people like Joan, the world would be a sadder place.

Thank-you Joan for giving me permission to publish this.

Volunteers.

Where would we be without them? – This is a question that you the tax paying public needs to ask yourself.

Volunteers of any nature are my heroes, they find time to help the community, where many just say they don’t have time. Without volunteers, the cost to government would be enormous. I don’t think the government would be able to manage the budget without the thousands of unpaid volunteers, who do their job for them.

The QLD Government using the ABS statistics from the 2006 census estimate that volunteering saves the government something like $5.91 billion.

The SA Government using the ABS statistics from the 2006 census estimate that volunteering saves the government something like $4.98 billion.

The WA Government using the ABS Statistics from the 2006 census estimate that volunteering saves the government something like $6.6 billion.

The Victorian Government using the ABS Statistics from the 2006 Census estimates that volunteering saves the government something like $10 billion.

In total it is estimated that $42 billion per annum is the ‘true value of volunteering’ for the Australian Government and states. http://www.volunteernetwork.org.au/documents/VolunteeringinAustralia-FactsandFigures.pdf

Some states appear to have more of an appreciation of volunteers than others, here is Tasmania’s thoughts when it comes to volunteers – just have a look at these ideas for appreciating their volunteers – all 101 of them. http://www.development.tas.gov.au/sportrec/information_for_organisations/hosting_volunteers/volunteer_recognition

Congratulations and thank-you to all volunteers, without you I am sure we, the public would be paying more taxes and many older people would be lonely and the younger in society would be lost. Thank-you to our volunteer emergency services personnel, you do a fantastic job, be it at the fun fair or the fire-fight or the local sports event.

Thank-you to all and sundry and remember it doesn’t take much to offer your services. It might just be popping into the local primary school once a week to read a book to children.

Do you volunteer anywhere? – Leave your thoughts and suggestions.

I have just became aware that the weekend just past was International Volunteer Day - what timing! - This post was written sometime in late November!

To all volunteers out there - thank-you from the bottom of my heart and anyone that has benefited from a volunteer, leave your thank-yous.

I know I am thankful!